Anthurium plant named `Lady Love`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named `Lady Love`, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; durable dark green leaves that are ovate in shape; numerous inflorescences that are positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes; durable, glossy pink spathes with green lobes; year-round continuous flowering; and good post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAnthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Lady Love`.

The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new Anthurium cultivars that have afreely clumping growth habit, strong and vigorous plant growth,attractive spathe color, numerous inflorescences and leaves, and goodpost-production longevity.

The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor in July, 1994of the Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number92-4 as the female, or seed, parent with the Inventor's proprietaryAnthurium andreanum selection code number 94-13 as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Lady Love was discovered and selected by theInventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in acontrolled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in August, 1996.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture has shown thatthe unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualpropagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the cultivar `Lady Love`. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish `Lady Love` as a new anddistinct cultivar:

1. Upright plant habit.

2. Freely clumping growth habit.

3. Durable dark green leaves that are ovate in shape.

4. Numerous inflorescences that are positioned upright and beyond thefoliage on strong and erect scapes.

5. Durable, glossy pink spathes with green lobes.

6. Year-round continuous flowering.

7. Good post-production longevity.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the female parent, the Inventor'sproprietary selection code number 92-4. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of thenew Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 92-4 in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium are more compact than plants of theselection code number 92-4.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium have smaller and more durable leaves thanplants of the selection code number 92-4.

3. Plants of the new Anthurium have pink-colored spathes whereas plantsof the selection code number 92-4 have red-colored spathes.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the male parent, the Inventor'sproprietary selection code number 94-13. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of thenew Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 94-13 in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium have smaller leaves than plants of theselection code number 94-13.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium have pink-colored spathes whereas plantsof the selection code number 94-13 have red-colored spathes.

3. Plants of the new Anthurium and plants of the selection code number94-13 differ in spathe shape.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the Anthurium cultivar `Champion`,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,088. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of thenew Anthurium differ from plants of the cultivar `Champion` in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium grow faster than plants of the cultivar`Champion`.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium are more freely clumping than plants ofthe cultivar `Champion`.

3. Plants of the new Anthurium have rougher leaves than plants of thecultivar Champion.

4. Plants of the new Anthurium and of the cultivar `Champion` differ inspathe color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographsheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of thecultivar `Lady Love`. Leaf, spathe and spadix color in the photographsmay appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ten-month old plants grown in 14-cm containersin Schipluiden, The Netherlands, in a glass greenhouse with an averageday temperature of 25° C. and an average night temperature of 19° C.

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum cultivar `Lady Love`.

Parentage:

Female parent.--Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selectioncode number 92-4.

Male parent.--Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection codenumber 94-13.

Propagation:

Method.--Typically by tissue culture.

Time to initiate roots from a tissue culture propagule.--About 70 or 84days at 24° C. or 21° C., respectively.

Rooting habit.--Numerous and very strong fleshy roots.

Plant description:

Plant shape.--Upright, inverted triangle, symmetrical.

Growth habit.--Freely clumping, bushy and dense, about five to sevenshoots per plant. Appropriate for 12 to 20-cm containers.

Plant height.--About 25 to 28 cm from soil level to apex of spathes.

Plant width.--About 30 cm.

Plant vigor.--High.

Growth rate.--Rapid.

Crop time.--About 6 and 12 months are usually required from planting ofyoung plants to finished plants in 12 and 20-cm containers,respectively.

Foliage description.--Quantity: Usually about two to three per shoot;about 10 to 21 leaves per container. Length: About 10 to 13 cm. Width:About 7 to 9 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Auriculate; lobesnot overlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, leathery.Color: Young leaves, upper surface: 144A to 144B. Young leaves, lowersurface: 144B to 145B. Mature leaves, upper surface: Darker than 137A.Mature leaves, lower surface: 146B to 146C. Petiole: Length: About 12 to16 cm. Color: Close to 144A, slight anthocyanin, 59A. Geniculum length:About 1.5 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 3 mm. Geniculum color: 144B.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence arrangement.--Spathes with spadices held beyond thefoliage. Flowering structures arise from leaf axils. Freely flowering;continuous flowering year-round; numerous spathes/spadices per plant.

Inflorescence longevity.--Spathes/spadices last about six weeks underwinter conditions and about three months under summer conditions;persistent.

Flowers.--Quantity per spadix: About 80. Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About1 mm, maximum.

Spathe.--Length: About 6 to 7 cm. Width: About 7 to 9 cm. Shape: Broadlycordate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Straight. Margin: Entire. Texture:Leathery, glabrous, slight blistering, glossy. Color: When opening: 47Cto 47D; lobe, green, 144A. Front surface: 47C to 47D; lobes, green,144A. Back surface: 48D; lobes, green, 144A. After senescence: Center,43C; green lobal areas increase in area with development, mostly green,144A, with brownish red flush.

Spadix.--Length: About 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Columnar.Cross section: Rounded. Longitudinal axis: Very weakly recurved. Color:Base and mid-section: Close to 47D. Apex: 44D. After senescence: Closeto 146C.

Scape.--Length: About 20 to 25 cm. Aspect: Strong and erect. Color:144A, slight anthocyanin, 59A.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Pollen color: Creamy white, 158D.Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Ovoid. Ovary: Protogyneous.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Anthurium have exhibited goodresistance to root diseases common to Anthurium.

Seed development: Seed development on plants of the new Anthurium hasnot been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named`Lady Love`, as illustrated and described.